Rotary drilling apparatus



Mafih 5, 4 J. A. DUNN r AL- ,1

ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1958 Emit FM] Patented Mar. 5, 1940 I ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS Joseph A. Dunn, Los Angeles, and Walter Elliot,

La Habra Heights, Calif.; said Dunn to-The National Supply Company, a tion of Pennsylvania Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,088

7 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary drilling apparatus of the type as used in the drilling of oil, gas, water, or other wells.

In the practice of rotary well drilling, it is common practice to employ a rotary machine positioned in the center of the derrick floor, which rotary machine is driven by a chain from one shaft of a drawworks situated at one side of the derrick floor. In this practice it is common to drive the drawworks and the rotary machine from a single engine or prime mover. With such an arrangement the chain from the drawworks shaft extends over the floor of the derrick to the rotary machine and forms an obstruction which hampers the free use of the floor and the free access to the rotarymachine during the drilling operations.

It'is therefore an object of our invention to provide an apparatus for the drilling of wells, which apparatus isso constructed and arranged as to permit the free and unobstructed use of the derrick floor and free and unobstructed access to the rotary machine during the drilling operations.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus in which means are provided which are instantly available to drive the drawworks in an emergency.

Another object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for the drilling of wells in which there is provided an independent prime mover for the rotary machine which is not positioned upon the derrick floor.

Another object of our invention is to provide a rotary drilling rig having a rotary machine which is normally driven from a prime mover or engine situated below the derrick floor and in which there is provided an emergency drive which may be established above the derrick floor level for driving the rotary machine from the prime mover normally 'used to operate the drawworks.

Other objects and advantages of this inventionv it is believed will be apparent, from the following detailed-description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotary drilling rig embodyin our invention illustrating the same as adapted in position in the fragment of a drilling rig illustrated partly in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the rotary drilling rig embodying our invention illustrating the same as detached from the derrick for clarity.,

assignor corpora- Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the preferred embodiment of our invention as illustrated in the drawing, i indicates a rotary machine which may be of any suitable or desirable type and which is driven through a driven sprocket carried by the shaft of the rotary machine. This rotary machine is, as is conventionally true,

v positioned in substantially the center of the derrick floor 3. Positioned at one side of the derrick 1 floor is the rotary drawworks 4. The rotary drawworks is driven from a prime mover or engine 5 positioned to the rear of the drawworks, as is conventional. An auxiliary, or second, prime mover or engine 6 is positioned upon the founda- 15 tion 1 below the derrick floor 3. The engines 5 and 6 may be of any suitable or desirable type or character and may constitute any form of prime mover or source of power, and it is intended that the word engine as hereinafter utilized in this specification and claims shall have such a generic definition.

The drawworks 4 may likewise be of any suitable or desirable type and as herein illustrated in is mounted.

As is customary in this art there is formed between the power or jack shaft 8 and the drum shaft a multiple speed transmission means whereby the drum may be rotated at a plurality of speeds. In the illustration given thereis mounted in advance of the drawworks a shaft li which forms a count motions to or ershaft for the transmission confrom the rotary drawworks 4, as

will hereinafter be described. 4 The transmission drive 9 from the engine 5' to the jack shaft 8 includes a sprocket l2 which is journaled upon the jack shaft 8 and is releasably clutched thereto by means of a clutch indicated at IS.

A sprocket I4 is journaled on the outer end of this shaft 8 and is likewise releasably connectable with the shaft 8 by means of a clutch l5. A transmission drive is provided including a chain It, and sprocket 11 from the sprocket H to the double sprocket l'l carried upon the drum shaft. A transmission connection I8 is provided from the sprocket ii to a double sprocket l9 mountedvupon the shaft ll.

machine sproc In accordance with our invention, the rotary ket 2 is normally driven from the engine situated below the derrick floor through a transmission chain which connects from the sprocket 2 to a sprocket 2| carried upon a drive shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 and 23 upon the frame 25 which likewise supports the engine 6. This shaft 22 is coupled to the engine shaft 25" by means of a coupling 23. The sprocket 2| is journaled upon the shaft 2! and provides the rotary machine drive sprocket. A second sprocket 21 providing a drawworks drive sprocket is likewise journaled upon the shaft 22.

Clutch means 22 are provided for releasably clutching sprocket 2| to the shaft 22 when it is desired to drive the rotary machine from the engine 3.

A clutch 23 is provided for releasably conne'cting the sprocket 21 to the shaft 22 when'it is desired'to drive the rotary drawworks 4 from the drilling engine 6. This drive is provided through a transmission chain 33 which connects with the one sprocket 3| of the double sprocket l9. Thus there is provided 'a standby, or emergency, drive for the rotary drawworks in the event of the hoisting engine 5 becoming incapacitated for any reason.

In order to provide a means whereby the rotary machine I may be driven from the hoisting engine 5 should the drilling engine 3 for any reason become incapacitated, that is, to provide a standby or emergency power drive, there is provided a clutch means consisting of a clutch ring 32 v which is splined upon the hub 33 of the sprocket 21 so that as the clutch ring 32 is shifted, its clutch jaws may engage corresponding clutch Jaws 34 formed upon the hub of the sprocket 2!. Thus with the clutches I3, I! and 32 in engagement, the drive to the rotary machine is from the hoisting engine 5 through the corresponding transmission connections to the rotary machine drive sprocket 2, that-is of course assuming that the clutches 23 and." aredisengaged because of the fact that if the drilling engine 8 is incapacitated for any reason it is not desired to cause the engine 6 to be rotated during this method of driving.

In order to control the engines 5 and 3 the controls for the two engines indicated at 35 and 36 drawworks 4 and in the position usually occupied by and adjacent the controls for operating the drawworks 4.

In event the drilling engine 6 becomes incapacitated and it is not possible or practical under the particular conditions of operation to drive from the hoisting engine through the underfloor transmission system to the rotary machine, our invention permits the rotary machine I to be driven directly from the sprocket llof the double sprocket'member ll mounted on the drawworks drumshaft. This is accomplished by disconnecting the chains 20 and I3, and connecting a chain 31 directly from the sprocket IT to the rotary machine drive sprocket 2 above the level of the floor 3, thus affording the conventional drive from the drawworks l to the rotary machine I.

The double'sprocke't units illustrated upon the floor shaft II and drum shaft, 1. e., the sprockets l3 and I1, may be of the form or type as disclosed in the Rice and Morgan Patent No. 2,026,141, issued December 31, 1935. v

As is customarily provided in connection with such drilling apparatus, guards 33 and 33 are provided in connection with the sprockets 21 and 2| to form a substantially oil-tight enclosure and to prevent escape of lubricant from the chains and sprockets.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a well drilling rig having a drawworks and a rotary machine, the combination of a hoisting engine adapted to drive the drawworks, a shaft, transmission connections between the shaft and the rotary machine and between the shaft and the drawworks, a drilling engine adapted to drive said shaft, clutch means associated with said transmission connections whereby said driliing engine may drive either the drawworks or the'rotary machine independently of the hoisting engine, and said hoistingengine being adapted to drive the rotary machine through said transmisrelation, an intermediate shaft parallel to both drive shafts, a small capacity engine adapted to drive said intermediate shaft, a large capacity engine adapted to drive said drawworks driveshaft, said rotary machine, drawworks, and large capacity engine being mounted near the level of the derrick floor, and said intermediate shaft and said small capacity engine being mounted below the level of the derrick floor, transmission connections including a chain and sprocket drive between the intermediate shaft and the drive shaft of said rotary machine, and between the intermediate shaft and the drive shaft of said drawworks, and clutch means associated with said transmission connections whereby the small capacity engine may selectively drive either the rotary machine or the drawworks.

3. In a well drilling rig including a derrick having a floor, the combination of a drawworks having a driveshaft, a rotary machine having a drive shaft, said drive shafts being in parallel relation, an intermediate shaft parallel to both drive shafts, a small capacity engine adapted to drive said intermediate shaft, a large capacity engine adapted to drive said drawworks driveshaft, said rotary machine, drawworks, and large capacity engine being mounted near the level of the derrick floor, and said intermediate shaft and said small capacity engine being mounted below the level of the derrick floor, transmission connections including a chain and sprocket drive between the intermediate shaft and the drive shaft of said rotary machine,- and between the intermediate shaft and the drive shaft of said drawworks, and means including a clutch on said drawworks driveshaft whereby the large capacity engine may selectively drive the'rotary machine through said transmission connections.

4. In a well drilling rig including a derrick having a floor, the combination of a drawworks having a drum shaft and a drive shaft, a double idler sprocket member rotatably mounted on the drumshaft, means to drivably connect one of .the sprockets thereof to said drive shaft, a rotary machine having a pinion shaft, an intermediate shaft parallel to said drive shaft and said pinion shaft, a drilling engine adapted to drive said intermediate shaft, a hoisting engine adapted to drive said drive. shaft, said drawworks, rotary machine and hoisting engine being mounted near the level of the derrick floor, and, said intermediate shaft and said drilling engine being mountdrive said shaft, said rotary machine, drawworks,

ed substantially below the level of the derrick floor, transmission connections between said intermediate shaft and said pinion shaft, and between said intermediate shaft andthe other sprocket of said double idler sprocket member, and clutch means associated withsaid transmission connections whereby either engine may selectively drive the drawworks drumshaft or the rotary machine. v

'5. In a well drilling rig, the combination of a drawworks having a drive shaft, a rotary machine havinga pinion shaft, an intermediate shaft parallel to both of said shafts, a large ca pacity engine adapted to drive said drive shaft, a small capacity engine adapted to drive said intermediate shaft, a pair 01' sprockets independently'rotatable on said intermediate shaft, individual. clutch means for selectively coupling each sprocket in driving relation with the intermediate shaft, transmission connections from one of said sprockets to said rotary machine pinion shaft, and from the other of said sprockets to said drawworks driveshaft, whereby the small capacity engine may selectively drive either the drawworks or the rotary machine. and additional clutch means for coupling said sprockets together to rotate as a single unit, whereby the large ca; pacity engine may selectively drive the rotary machine through said transmission connections independently of the intermediate shaft.

6. In a well drilling rig including a derrick having a iloor, the combination of a drawworks.

a rotary machine, a shaft operatively interposed between the drawworks and the rotary machine. a large capacity engine adapted to drive the drawworks, a small capacity engine adapted to and large capacity engine being mounted near the level of the derrick floor, and said shaft and said small capacity engine being mounted below the level of the derrick floor, a chain and sprocket e drive connecting said shaft and rotary machine, additional transmission driving connections between the shaft and the drawworks, andclutch means whereby said shaft may be operatively connected to selectively drive either the drawworks or the rotary machine.

7. In a well drilling rig including a derrick having a floor, a rotary machine mounted centrally of said floor, a drawworks positioned at? the floor level and at one side of the floor, and a hoisting engine adapted to drive the drawworks, the combination of power transmission means disposed beneath said floor and operatively conmeeting said drawworks and rotary machine whereby the floor space between the drawworks and the rotary machine is substantially unobstructed, said power transmission means includ ing a shaft positioned below said floor and operatively interposed between the drawworks and the rotary machine, the shaft being connected with said rotary machine and drawworks by means of chain and sprocket drives, a drilling engine positioned below said floor and adapted to drive said shaft, and clutch means associated with said power transmission means whereby the drilling engine may selectively drive either the rotary machine or the drawworks independently of the hoisting engine.

' JOSEPH A. DUNN. WALTER ELLIOT.

. CERTIFICATE OF I so RiaEc'rIon.

Patient No .2,192,58h. March- 5,1910. JOSEPH A DiJNN ET AL- I It is hreby certified that error appears in the printed specification of fine aboire numbered paterit requiring cofrcizion fis :tlollows: Page 2, first co1-p1nn, lin e- 12, 'for the-refe'rence mineral 22" read 2 8';' lin'e L7, afflar 5 and 56" inse rt are ce nt ralized at the position adjacent the; Arid 5131 the said; Letters Pen-lent should be read with thisn qrrecti-on thereip that the same imay ppnfqnh to the rcord 'of ihe case in'the Patent Office.

si neq and s'e'ald this 9mi '01 April, A. D. 191 .0.

HenrY' Van. M's'dtha;

(S631)v Acting -C 61mn1s31oner of PaLtQntSQ 

